STI Education Systems Holdings Inc. expects student enrollment to decline further as the ongoing conflict in the Middle East affects Filipino families’ finances, its chairman Eusebio H. Tanco said.
Tanco noted that fewer students may be able to afford tuition, especially those supported by overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), as remittances could drop. He added that some students may transfer to lower-cost schools.
The company is also considering expanding online classes due to rising fuel costs, though Tanco said it is uncertain whether students will prefer remote learning over in-person classes.
STI’s enrollment for school year 2025–2026 fell to 132,941 from 139,155 the previous year. The decline was partly due to the earlier opening of classes in public schools.
Tanco said the government should have acted sooner to ease economic pressure, including suspending value-added tax (VAT). He also argued that public funds should focus on improving basic education—kindergarten to high school—while leaving most tertiary education to private institutions.
He added that corruption, particularly in infrastructure projects, harms the economy by reducing the flow of money, which could otherwise stimulate growth.
